Celebrating Black History Month: Black Pioneers in Politics

Politics is such a sensitive topic. It is especially sensitive when discussing the lack of black people involved in politics. Although more minorities are running for and winning political offices, policy still isn’t in our favor and our voices are still barely being heard. Despite this, it is still time to celebrate. Today, we are at the table when not too long ago we weren’t even allowed through the door. Let’s celebrate those who have worked and those who continue to work to change policy and fight for our rights.

Hiram Revels – He was the first Black Congressman in the United States. He served in the United States Senate.

Pinckney Pinchback – He was the son of a former slave and fought in the Civil War. He was the first black person to serve as U.S. state governor. He served as governor of Louisiana from 1872-1873.

Carol Moseley Braun – She was elected in 1992 and represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate. She was the first black woman elected to the Senate.

Thurgood Marshall – He was the first black person to serve as Supreme Court Justice. He was the 96th Justice and he served from October 1967 to October of 1991.

Susan Rice – When she was appointed in 2009 by President Barack Obama, she was the first black woman to serve as the US ambassador to the United Nations.

David Paterson – He was the first black governor of New York.

Deval Patrick – He was the former Governor of Massachusetts. He was the first black person to serve as governor of the state when he served from 2007-2015.

Colin Powell – He was the first black person to serve as U.S Secretary of State and the first and only black person to serve as the Joint Chief of Staff.

Carl Stokes – He was the first black person to be elected as Mayor of a major city when he was elected in 1968 in Cleveland.

Harold Washington – He was elected to be the 41st Mayor of Chicago in 1983. He became the first black person to serve as mayor of Chicago.

Barbara Jordan – She was the first black person to be elected to Texas Senate after Reconstruction and the first southern black woman to be elected to the United States House of Representatives. She was also the first black woman to give a keynote address at the Democratic National Convention.

Shirley Chisholm – In 1968, she became the first black woman elected to the United States Congress. In 1972, she became the first black woman to be a candidate for mayor from a major political party. She was also the first woman to run for the Democratic party’s presidential nomination.

Michelle Obama – She was the first black woman to serve as the first lady of the United States of America.

Barack Obama –He was the first black person to be elected and serve as President of the United States of America.